Mine-raising apparatus.



J. c. LOBATO. MINE RAISING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED, JAN- 4. I915.

Patented July 27, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. C. LOBATOA MINE RAISING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JAN-4. 1915.

Patented July 27, 1915.

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'J. C. LOBATO.

MINE RAISING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man JAN-4, 1915.

1,148, 1 03., Patented July 27, 1915.

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JOHN C. LOBATO, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

MINE-RAISING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2'7, 1915.

Application fi led January 4, 1915. Serial No. 399.

State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mine-Raising Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mine raising apparatus and more particularly to that type of device adapted to be projected in front of a ship for engaging and lifting explosive mines out of the water.

The principal object of the invention is first to provide a simple and efficient device which may be relatively cheaply constructed and conveniently operated and secondly which may be readily controlled at any given depth.

Another object of the inventlon is to provide a device of this character which is automatically maintained at a proper depth to insure the engagement of mines adapted to contact with the ships hull when anchored or free.

Further objects ofthe invention will appear as the following in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this application, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig.

5 1s a detail top plan view with parts in.

section.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 represents a ship of any suitable character which has secured to its-deck a bracket 2 and a pair of guiding members 3. Pivoted to the bracket 2 is a boom 4 which when operative lies in substantially horizontal position between the guide pins 3 which prevent lateral motion. The boom is raised and lowered by means of a cable 5 which may extend to the top of the mast and may be brought down to a suitable winch or other suitable device.

Mounted upon the outer end of the boom is a pulley 6 over whichtravels asupporting cable 7 the outer terminal end of which is connected to a ring 8 from which lead a pair description is read.

.of diverging cables 9 connected cross bar is also connected to the ring by means of a central cable 11 and has its outer ends connected to a longer cross bar or spreader 12 by means of the cables 13. This spreader is also connected to the cross bar 10 by means of the intermediatecables 14.

Depending from the spreader 12 are a plurality of links 15 and 16, the former of which connect at their lower terminals to the outer ends of a shaft 17 and the latter of which-extend forwardly and have their lower ends connected to the outer ends of a shaft 18.

M'ountedupon the shafts 17 and 18 are a plurality of spaced fingers 19 having pointed endsconstructed of blocks 20 preferably constructed of wood and tips 21 preferably constructed of rubber. These fingers 19 are held in spaced relation upon the shaft 17 by sleeves 22 and upon the shaft 18 by means of the cable rollers 23 against which the mine anchoring cables are adapted to engage. The fingers 19 are spaced apart from similar fingers 24 arranged below the same and in parallel relation and suspended from the shaft 17 by means of the links 25, 26 and 27 and by means of the intermediate connectors 28 and 29, the latter having their upper terminals connected'to ring bolts 30 passing through certain of the intermediate fingers 30 are connected to the spreader 11 by means of the connector 31. The fingers 24 are supported upon shafts 32, and 33 corresponding to the shafts 17 and 18 and each set of fingers 12 held in its proper position relative to the surface of the sea in the following manner: Extending rearwardly fromthe shafts 17 18 and 32, 33 are side and intermediate bars 3 1 and 35, all of which are inclined upon their under sides at agl (e rear ends to receive the submerging pl e 36, as shown. This submerging plate impinging against the water has a normaltendency to draw downwardly uponithe rear end of the apparatus which is normally held in a plane slightly above the forwardend of. the fingers by at their opposite terminals to a cross bar 10. This ice I a cable 38. This cable 138 extends. from a suitable winch on deck of the I fingers have failed to passes over a pulley 39 depending from the boom 4:. The outer terminal of the cable is connected to a coupling ring 40 which is in turn connected to a spreader bar joining the side and intermediate bars 34 and 35 by cables 41. The side and intermediate bars of the upper and lower portions of. the apparatus are held in separated relation by the bars 42.

Each one of the fingers 19 and 24 with the exception of the two outside right-hand fingers have pivoted thereto a locking pawl or dog 43 normally held with its free terminal engaged in the recess 44 of the adjoining finger by means of a spiral spring 45. These dogs are provided to be tripped by the mine anchoring cable and prevent the escape of the mine in case of a retrograde movement of the ship.

Bridged between the upper and lower sets of fingers and connected to the shaft 18 and to the eye-bolt 46 is a net t'l'which is adapted to receive the impact of the mine entering between the sets of fingers and prevent its engagement with any ofthe iron parts of the apparatus.

In Fig. 1 I have shown the device in operative position with the vessel under headway which will hold the parts in the position shown. To prevent lateral movement of the sets of fingers independent of the boom there is connected to opposite sides oi the submerging plate suitable cables 18 which extend to the proper type of cleats or other fastening members on the side of the ship.

vessel and It is, of course, understood that the sets of fingers are considerably wider than the beam of the ship so that the side of the ship will not contact with any mines which the catch. When a mine or mines have caught on the fingers the winch is operated to wind up the cable 5 and elevate the boom. The cables 7 and 38 are then lowered by operating suitable mechanism on the deck of the vessel so that the mines can be removed from the fingers.

To properly brace the structure I find it expedient to employ diagonal struts 50 means for raising and which extend between the upper ends of the links 15 and 26 and the rear ends of the side bars 34.

What is claimed is 1. In mine raising apparatus, the combination with a pivoted supporting member, lowering the same,

- means for preventing lateral movement of the supporting member, a mine catching device, and flexible means for independently supporting the front and rear of said device.

In mine raising apparatus, the combination with a pivoted supporting member, means for raising and lowering the same, means for preventing lateral movement of the supporting member, a mine catching device, flexible means for independently supporting the front and rear of said device, and means for preventing elevation of the rear of the device by the action of the water.

3. In a mine raising apparatus for ships,

at pivoted supporting member adapted to project outwardly in a horizontal plane from the bow of the ship, means for preventing lateral movement of said member, means for raising and lowering said memher, a mine catching device carried by said supporting member, means for raising and lowering said mine catching device, and mine cable catchers carried by the catching device. 4. In mine raising apparatus for ships, the combination with a supporting member, cables passing thereover, and a mine catching device supported by the cables comprising superposed sets of spaced mine cable straddling members, and means for holding said sets. in separated relation.

5. In mine raising apparatus for ships, the combination with a supporting member, cables passing thereover, a mine catching device supported by the cables comprising superposed sets of spaced mine cable strad- (.lling members, means for holding said sets in separated relation, and a mine catching net interposed between the sets.

6. In mine raising apparatus for ships,

the combination with a supporting member, cables passing thereover, a mine catching device supported superposed sets of spaced mine cable straddling members, means for holding said sets in separated relation, a mine catching net interposed between the sets, and mine cable catchers carried by the sets -and arranged to prevent escape of the mine upon retrograde movement of the ship.

7. Mine catching and raising apparatus for ships comprising a scriesof spaced pointed lingers, catchers. pivoted to certain of the fingers and arranged to engage adjoining fingers, and means for supporting the fingers in any desired submerged position.

ine raising and catching apparatus for ships comprising superposed sets bf spaced fingers arranged in parallelism, spring actuated catching dogs pivoted to certain of the fingers and arranged to engage the adjoining fingers, rearwardly extending frames connected to the sets of fingers, means for adjustably supporting the fingers in any desire submerged position, means for preventing elevation of the rear end of the frames by the action of the wa ter, and means for adjustably raising and lowering the rear end of the frame. 9. Mine raising and catching apparatus for ships comprising superposed sets of spaced fingers arranged in parallelism, spring actuated catching. dogspivoted to certain of the fingers and arranged to enby the cables comprising .1:: the adjoining fingers, rearwardly exmeans fer raisingthe entire'eppam-tusont tending frames connected to the sets of of the water. 10 fingers, means for adjustably supporting In testimony whereof I afiix my signature the fingers in any desired submerged osiin presence of two witnesses.

tion, means for preventing elevation o the JOHN C LOBATQ rear end of. the frames by the action of the Witnesses: Water means for adjustably raising and .LUIz A. OARVALHO, lowering the rear end of the frame, and NUEL LUZ. 

